


Faith in Black and White

by helsinkibaby



Category: Law & Order UK
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-31
Updated: 2014-05-31
Packaged: 2018-01-27 20:11:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1721060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt sees things in black and white.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Faith in Black and White

**Author's Note:**

> For the writer’s choice “black and white” challenge.

“It’s freezing in here.”

Against all odds, Matt found himself smiling as he looked up at Alesha, who was standing in the doorway of his living room, wearing a striped shirt that he recognised as the one that had been flung across his bedroom scant hours earlier, a frown and not much else. “It’s January and there’s a foot of snow on the ground,” he reminded her. “What do you expect?”

Alesha arched an eyebrow and he knew he was in trouble. “The man I went to bed with to stay in bed and keep me warm?”

“Fair enough.” Lifting his arm, he motioned to her, and she didn’t have to be told twice, climbing onto the sofa beside him and snuggling in. For a moment, there was silence and he let himself enjoy it. If he knew Alesha, she wouldn’t let matters rest there.

“Do I need to ask why you’re sitting here, brooding, instead of keeping me warm?” she finally asked, her tone light as it could be under the circumstances. When he didn’t reply, she took that as a yes, carried on with, “Matt, we’ve been through this... this isn’t your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” Because no matter how many people told him that, it didn’t feel like it. “I started this, Alesha... if I’d minded my own business, hadn’t asked so many questions...”

“Then you wouldn’t be you... that’s not who you are, Matt. It’s what makes you a good police officer.”

“But a lousy friend.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he didn’t let her get a chance. “The problem with seeing things in black and white... I mean, I nick Brian when he does a line of coke in front of me on a night out... I go after Jimmy Valentine and now Ronnie’s in the frame for taking a bung...”

“Brian still talks to you,” she reminded him, and he grimaced, remembering how hard won that had been.

“He nearly knocked a tooth out,” he told her. “And even then, he only laughed when I told him I could do him for assaulting a police officer but I’d let him off this time.”

Alesha laughed, a sound that was hastily stifled, though her eyes danced with amusement. “And we both know Ronnie’s innocent,” she said. “And we’ll prove it.”

Looking into her eyes, Matt couldn’t see a flicker of doubt there, nor any notion that she was just trying to make him feel better. “You really believe that, don’t you? Justice and the power of the courts and all that?”

She nodded. “I have to.”

“Even after everything? Merrick? Everything?”

There was the slightest moment of pain in her face, then it disappeared, but he knew Alesha, knew the effort it had taken to push it away. “We got him in the end,” she pointed out. “We’ll get Valentine too.”

He twined his fingers with hers, squeezed tightly. “I wish I had your faith,” he whispered, and she snuggled in tighter, pressing her body against his.

“It’ll all be better in the morning,” she promised, and he closed his eyes, hoping she was right.


End file.
